University Hospitals using Case Western-built devices to help fight coronavirus

The Cleveland Intubation Box is an open-source device that helps protect medical workers during the procedure.

Author: Joe Calabrese

Published: 12:36 PM EDT May 1, 2020

Updated: 2:41 PM EDT May 1, 2020

CLEVELAND — University Hospitals health system and Case Western Reserve University have been partnering a lot during the coronavius crisis.

Last month, The Cleveland Clinic opened an overflow treatment facility in a Case Western Health Education Campus building. Now, CWRU is helping UH front line workers with devices made at their Sears think[box].

“Every idea that we’ve worked on at think[box], including these two with University Hospitals, has been focused on protecting people in the healthcare field who need it the most—and need it quickly,” Ian Charnas, think[box] director of technology and innovation said in a press release. Charnas said that engineers are still working on more projects to help coronavirus front line workers.

Credit: Case Western Reserve University

The "Cleveland Intubation Box" developed in Case Western Reserve University's Sears think[box] is being used to protect clinicians at University Hospital.

The design for the intubation box has also been made open-source, meaning anyone can download it for free here.

“The whole think[box] team knew this was our opportunity to help people on the front lines,” said think[box] engineer Manny Bansal. “Our main goal was to get these projects done quickly and in the hands of the doctors and nurses and others who need them."